Health Benefits of Straighter Teeth

Millions of people are dealing with some type of dental problem every day. According to a recent article from the Scientific American, 90% of people have dental misalignment, and 75% have issues with wisdom teeth properly emerging from gums. The result of these issues can mean problems later in life. Having straighter teeth not only helps with having a brighter smile, but it can also encourage optimal oral health. 

If you want to get straighter teeth and live in the Mamaroneck, New York, or Stamford, Connecticut areas, you’re in luck. Dr. Gennadiy Kravets and the staff at All Bright Dental boast over a decade of experience straightening teeth.

How having straighter teeth helps

The alignment of your teeth is important because they need to fit in your mouth in a way that doesn’t hinder how you chew, bite, speak, or breathe. Even minor misalignments make your teeth harder to maintain and clean. 

Straighter teeth make it easier to brush and floss, making it harder for food particles to gather. Straight teeth are aesthetically pleasing, too.

Factors that can lead to crooked teeth

Many factors cause crooked teeth, including genetics and dental care habits. Your baby teeth and permanent teeth can come in crooked as a result of thumb sucking or extended use of pacifiers and bottles during childhood. How teeth form in your mouth can also be due to genetics, resulting in crooked teeth, crowded teeth, and other dental conditions. 

These issues can also be the result of malocclusion or a misaligned jaw. The normal formation of teeth should have your upper jaw (maxilla) fit slightly over your lower jaw (mandible). When these are misaligned, it can cause an overbite or an underbite, and both can affect how straight your teeth are. The size of your jaw also affects how your teeth align.

Other common factors that affect teeth alignment are related to injury and dietary habits. Injuries to the mouth and jaw can impact alignment or cause tooth loss. And if you eat foods high in sugar, it can lead to tooth decay, a common cause of tooth loss. Missing teeth can affect your teeth alignment over time.

Conditions caused by crooked teeth

In addition to affecting how you eat and breathe, crooked teeth can also cause other dental conditions without treatment:

Periodontal disease 

Crooked teeth can make it harder to clean between teeth, so food and other substances can get trapped there over time. That leads to tooth decay and gum disease, which, left untreated, leads to periodontitis and bone infections.  

Chewing and digestion problems

Depending on the severity of your crooked teeth, you may be unable to chew food properly, leading to problems with digestion and nutrition.

Speech problems

Severe misalignment can affect how you speak.

Straighter teeth lessen the chances of dealing with these issues, provided you take proper care of your teeth. Regular dental visits with our team will help determine any issues with misaligned teeth and how to deal with them. Fixing crooked teeth is often as easy as treatment with Invisalign®.

So if you’re ready to get straighter teeth today, make an appointment with Dr. Kravets and All Bright Dental today to get started.